[Ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and their effects on cognitive function].

Recent studies have shown that ischemic heart disease and heart failure are closely associated with cognitive impairment via injury of the small cerebral arteries. On the other hand, these factors are suggested to be associated with Alzheimer's disease as well as vascular dementia. This review paper focuses on the role of ischemic heart disease and heart failure as risk factors for cognitive impairment, and summarizes current knowledge on the relationships between vascular risk factors and Alzheimer's disease pathology.